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Thoughts on these mods for bone stock E Ray

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Old Apr 18, 2026 | 09:32 PM
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Default Thoughts on these mods for bone stock E Ray

First and foremost all my work is done by Alex Peitz of https://www.peitzperformancetunes.com/ . His shop is about a 45 minute drive from the south part of Pasadena to Tomball. He's done work on my old Hellcat Red Eye, and did the E 85 tune on my 2021 Z51.

As of now I'm looking at spending around $5,000 for about 30 rwhp and 20 fwhp on my E Ray. However looking at his head/cam for the Corvette, it's around $14,000 and includes the E 85 tune. Here is what's offered with the head/cam package.

https://www.peitzperformancetunes.co...113191575Peitz

Performance Heads Cam Package

CNC ported heads optimizing flow and efficiency
  • Camshaft designed for performance and drivability
  • Hardened pushrods
  • Trunion rocker upgrade
  • .660” lift valve springs
  • 160 degree thermostat
  • DOD Delete Plugs
  • REV Exhaust Valve upgrade
  • Options for milling heads for higher compression w/E85
  • 80+ HP gains with E85 and higher compression
  • ECM Unlock
  • 8 credits required to license your ECM
I need to really have a good conversation with him and get his thoughts. It looks like for $14,000 I'm also getting the full tune so the $14,000 package is really $9,000. The milling of the heads is very intriguing and we will discuss that.

Thoughts on my side. Number 1 is that I'm 71 years old and this is probably my last performance vehicle and I'm still able to haul azz down the quarter mile safely and at the staging lights can hold my own against younger drivers. I mean leaving on the last yellow isn't rocket science.

The second thought is that we're not really seeing big improvements with your typical C7 mods, such as headers, catback, intake, etc. But this comment on his web page is also intriguing and something Alex and I will consider.

Our heads/cam package is perfect for customers who have already modified their exhaust or intake systems on their C8s.
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Apr 19, 2026, 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by OLD_GOAT
There's a lot of difference between the $5,000 E85 tune, the $14,000 heads/cam/E85 tune and the $35,000 twin turbo setup/E85 tune ..

For the record, my wife passed away in December 2025, and I'm now on my social security only, everything money wise stopped from my wife's side. Plus I'm now having to file single on income tax versus married/jointly which is a lot cheaper. I can maybe find $14,000 but no way can I find an extra $20,000 (difference between twin turbo and head cam tune).
Given your current financial position, I would keep what you have today. You have no margin for error. Keep your warranty.

Dropping your 1/4 times by .4 seconds doesn’t really change your life. Enjoy the car and the warranty and keep the $9,000 for basic life needs.
Old Apr 19, 2026 | 04:34 AM
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How do they get the extra 20hp out of the electric motor?
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 04:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Lefty32
How do they get the extra 20hp out of the electric motor?
^^ this ^^
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 05:04 AM
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I hate to be that guy, but you are flushing your warranty down the toilet by doing this to what is already a fast car.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 08:36 AM
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 10:16 AM
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For 80 hp today’s cost an arm and leg, seems you like doing the quarter mile so do it and give us the current 1/4s and what you get with the extra hp. Also how does he get the extra hp out of the front as I routinely see over 180 hp on the street.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 10:20 AM
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I love the NA game and it pains me say this, twins are the way to go. The rumble is great and it turns heads for sure but the power doesn't translate as of yet, the rpm ceiling of the trans being the biggest drawback imo.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Lefty32
How do they get the extra 20hp out of the electric motor?
It's been mentioned in a couple of emails you can pick up 20 fwhp. He didn't go much into how, but he did mention I always need to make my quarter mile passes with a full charge on the battery for the extra fwhp. Alex Peitz is well known in the car mods community and highly respected. He doesn't need to give out false information to one person to pad his bank account. Doubt me, do a search on him. He is also one of the very few tuners who's shop can install the DSX hardware for a car to run dual fuel, and the only shop in the greater Houston area.

Originally Posted by SpeedyATL
I hate to be that guy, but you are flushing your warranty down the toilet by doing this to what is already a fast car.
HMMMMMMMMMMMM let's see car's I've tuned before the drivetrain warranty was up.............2005 GTO, 2009 GXP, 2013 Mustang GT with their crappy Pro Cal or whatever they called it back then), 2014 Mustang GT, 2016 Hellcat, 2019 Hellcat Red Eye, and 2021 Corvette Z51. I've never yet to have any drivetrain issues with any car I've ever owned that was tuned.

Meanwhile, my gift to you.





All joking aside on Speedy.

Originally Posted by peter pan
For 80 hp today’s cost an arm and leg, seems you like doing the quarter mile so do it and give us the current 1/4s and what you get with the extra hp. Also how does he get the extra hp out of the front as I routinely see over 180 hp on the street.
Do a search on me, I've always been up front with cost and everything else I've done on my cars. I have posted my dyno sheets for work I've had done and will continue to do so. Being upfront, if whatever mods I'm going to have done, is great I will post it, same for if it sucks. Plus Peitz knows I'm very active on car forums and Facebook pages, but the quality of his work speaks for itself.

Last edited by OLD_GOAT; Apr 19, 2026 at 10:36 AM.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 12:02 PM
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If you really think it is your last one... Go with a bang and do the TT setup.. No one better to do it with.

You retain mostly stock drivability while making it an entirely different (and better) sound and under full accel it is an entirely different animal.. +4WD is crazy
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 12:26 PM
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There's a lot of difference between the $5,000 E85 tune, the $14,000 heads/cam/E85 tune and the $35,000 twin turbo setup/E85 tune ..

For the record, my wife passed away in December 2025, and I'm now on my social security only, everything money wise stopped from my wife's side. Plus I'm now having to file single on income tax versus married/jointly which is a lot cheaper. I can maybe find $14,000 but no way can I find an extra $20,000 (difference between twin turbo and head cam tune).
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 12:36 PM
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I say do what makes you happy, especially if it's truly your last perrformance car.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by 633BR
I say do what makes you happy, especially if it's truly your last perrformance car.
^^^ I approve this message. ^^^
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 03:15 PM
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Sorry to hear of your wife, OG.

My thoughts on the matter... I have *always* been one to favor forced induction over an N/A build - partly because I live in a place where 9000'+ DAs are the norm. I also don't think the ROI is there on N/A builds aside from max-effort strokers and, well... They end up being the same cost as a budget blower build anyhow.

That said, you do you. If you're happy with a heads/cam build, do it up. I think you could probably get way more than half of the gains from *just* E85 and a solid tune with bolt-ons at a third of the price, though.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Lefty32
How do they get the extra 20hp out of the electric motor?
It's all software! The motor itself is essentially the same as is the battery. They increase bearing size and frame stiffens to deal with the 26 hp increase so 26/160 = 26%. No doubt for long term reliability.

Many of us have gotten a short excursion 185 (some more) short burst of power with low resistance cold copper wires and motor windings so the power controller may not have been changed. They reduced the operating range. John Holder said from they control the E-Ray battery energy to range of 20% minimum to 80% max to like 10% minimum to 90% max for the ZR1X. It's a software motor control issue and no way to get there unless with changed electric motor control software.

Last edited by JerryU; Apr 19, 2026 at 04:12 PM.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by JerryU
It's all software! The motor itself is essentially the same as is the battery. They increase bearing size and frame stiffens to deal with the 26 hp increase so 26/160 = 26%. No doubt for long term reliability.

Many of us have gotten a short excursion 185 (some more) short burst of power with low resistance cold copper wires and motor windings so the power controller may not have been changed. They reduced the operating range. John Holder said from they control the E-Ray battery energy to range of 20% minimum to 80% max to like 10% minimum to 90% max for the ZR1X. It's a software motor control issue and no way to get there unless with changed electric motor control software.
I haven't had the time to talk to Alex Peitz, about this 20 fwhp pick up, but his over all reputation and the fact we have history on 2 cars leads me to blindly trust him. One thing he mentioned is to make sure to have a full charge on the front battery. I'm sure this explanation is how it works. Also I knew all along it had to be software that tuning could modify the car to pick up the 20 fwhp.

Now, I've not put the car on a dyno and I will learn about how to dyno an all wheel drive car. This awd is a first for me.

Anyhow, thank you Jerry for a great post!



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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 04:53 PM
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If you want more horsepower, why not trade the E-Ray for a new GSX?
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by OLD_GOAT
There's a lot of difference between the $5,000 E85 tune, the $14,000 heads/cam/E85 tune and the $35,000 twin turbo setup/E85 tune ..

For the record, my wife passed away in December 2025, and I'm now on my social security only, everything money wise stopped from my wife's side. Plus I'm now having to file single on income tax versus married/jointly which is a lot cheaper. I can maybe find $14,000 but no way can I find an extra $20,000 (difference between twin turbo and head cam tune).
Given your current financial position, I would keep what you have today. You have no margin for error. Keep your warranty.

Dropping your 1/4 times by .4 seconds doesn’t really change your life. Enjoy the car and the warranty and keep the $9,000 for basic life needs.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 06:44 PM
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Originally Posted by KMiles 1
Given your current financial position, I would keep what you have today. You have no margin for error. Keep your warranty.

Dropping your 1/4 times by .4 seconds doesn’t really change your life. Enjoy the car and the warranty and keep the $9,000 for basic life needs.
I agree with this!. Some would say... it's only $$$$, but if I were in your position, I wouldn't go forward.

What would your late wife say???
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Tonylmiller
If you want more horsepower, why not trade the E-Ray for a new GSX?
Good question, but here are my answers.
1. I would take a bath on my E Ray trade in.
2. I don't want a first year engine.
3. I got spoiled getting $17,500 off MSRP with my current car and for the GSX would have to pay premium (at least MSRP) for the first and maybe second years.
4..My wife never gave me any crap with the cars I had. I waited on her like her own home nurse, so she saw my cars as being an out and something to enjoy.

Bottom line, the E85 tune will happen, the heads/cam is a huge maybe at this point.
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Old Apr 19, 2026 | 08:47 PM
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Do whatever makes you happy Old Goat, we are never promised tomorrow. If you want to get the H/C package go for it, I would love to see the HP/Torque numbers from that.
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